Hydro-gravity concentrator



Dec. 20, 1960 J. w; CROTTY 2,965,234

aynamcmvny CONCENTRATOR Filed June 27, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheer. 1

F/GT/ III!) James W Crafty BY bJougQMMf-Y A'ITORNEY INVENTOR Dec. 20,1960 J. w. CROTTY 2,965,234

HYDRO-GRAVITY CONCENTRATOR Filed June 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 F/GZFUSE x I Q \MOTOR STARTER l FIG. 6 I

l HI

DRIVE MOTOR\ I] I 02-.- l I J -l/// I,

(5;; INVENTOR James W. Crofly BY /fasom (g/amid SOLENOID VALVE SHUT-OFFATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1960 J. w. CROTTY 2,965,234

HYDRO-GRAVITY CONCENTRATOR Filed June 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I Q QI 0 i z] I Q Q -I g i j *5 I "3 I v E 0 3 Q5 k J L n r I a a I 5 5 8 l II I a Q I INVENTOR j m JamesWCrof/y I I m I I IFgg 66135010 Kim/W3 o N 9ATTORNEY United States Patent HYDRO-GRAVITY CONCENTRATOR James W.Crotty, P.0. Box 909, Wickenburg, Ariz- Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No.744,985

2 Claims. (Cl. 209-440) This invention relates to a mineralsconcentrator, particularly a concentrator which utilizes water and theforce of gravity in connection with an inclined concentrator pan whichmay be rocked at right angles to the flow of material beingconcentrated.

Conventional sluice box concentrators comprise an inclined surfacehaving transverse baflies upon which heavy minerals are collected.Conventional pan-type concentrators employ a pan, sometimes riffled,which may be moved from side to side in order to separate the heavyminerals and allow them to settle upon the rifiles. Both types ofconcentrators-are exceedingly bulky and usually of expensiveconstruction.

The instant invention is unique in that it affords longitudinal movementof material upon an inclined bafiied surface, as effected in a sluicebox, and lateral rocking movement as in a gold pan. A concentrator pan(sluice box) is adjustably inclined and rocking movableat right anglesto the flow of material. Stationary agitators are adjustably suspendedwithin the pan. The rocking lateral movement of the pan and the brushingeffect of the stationary agitators keep stirring constantly the mineralsin water solution. As a result, there is a vertical downward movement ofthe heavy metals and their separation from the lighter gang material.The metals are concentrated in front of set baflles in the bottom of theconcentrator pan. From these bafiles the metals may flow underregulation through poi-ts to a launderer or bin as desired. The waste organg material flows over the baffles and out of the end of the pan to awaste pile.

The instant invention may concentrate coarse ground material, thuseliminating ball or rod mills, screens, classifiers, flotation cells andother equipment which must be used in conjunction with conventionalconcentrators. Yet, this result is achieved with simpler constructionand fewer moving parts, the concentrator. being portable. The instantconcentrator uses comparatively little water, the most of which can bereused. It will recover gold, silver, platinum and other metals fromblack sand and/or clay with small loss. Two of the instantconcentrators, one with a left and one with a right hand control caneasily be operated by one man. Its relatively few moving parts requireminimum maintenance and correspondingly longer life of the device isassured.

Accordingly, it is an object of invention to provide a portable mineralsconcentrator of simple, rugged construction.

Another object of invention is to provide in a minerals concentratorflow rate adjusting means, pan rocking means and adjustable agitaormeans.

Another object of invention is to provide in a minerals concentratormeans for longitudinally moving and classifying minerals bearingmaterial as in a sluice box, together with means laterally rocking thematerial as in a gold pan.

Yet another object of invention is to provide a minerals concentratorwhich uses comparatively little water ice and is superiorly effective torecover metals with small loss.

Yet additional objects will become apparent from the accompanyingdrawings and description wherein like numerals are taken to indicatelike parts.

Turning now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the instantconcentrator,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, partially in section,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the pan rocking means and takenalong line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing pan portsand port chute, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the driving means and solenoid valvemeans employed in the concentrator.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the instant concentrator comprises stationaryagitator assembly 10, angle bar frame 12, concentrator pan 14,driving-rocking means 16, adjustable frame inclining means 18 and panwater inlet means 20. I

Frame 12 comprises angle bar, end upright members 22, horizontal basemembers 26, oblique agitator supports 24, and horizontal frame end anglebars 68 which are secured between end upright members 22. End angle bars68 support pan rollers 54.

Agitator assembly 10 consists of side pieces 28 which may be welded tooblique agitator supports 24. Side pieces 28 have bolt slots 30 whichpermit adjustable retention of the stationary agitators 36. The assemblycomprises agitator backing 34 and plate 39 vertically supportingagitators 36 which may be nails. Plate 39 may be fastened to agitatorbacking 34 by means of bolts 38. As will be apparent stationaryagitators 36 are vertically adjustable within concentrator pan 14 bymeans of bolts 32 positioned within agitator side pieces 28.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the concentrator pan comprises panbottom 108, having vertical baffles 102 longitudinally disposed thereon;panroblique sides 106 and pan top flanges 104. Oblique sides 106encourage heavy metals to fall to the pan bottom 108 for collection atbaffles 102. Top pan top flanges 104 prevent loss of water and mineralsfrom splashing during concentration on one pan side 106 concentratedischarge ports 4-6, may be positioned for each longitudinal sectionbetween baffies 102. Ports 46 have hinged covers 40 which may beregulated by adjusting screw 42 retained in bracket 44. Adjusting screw42 regulates the size of the port openings to control the flow ofconcentrates into a launderer or bin 48, as desired. Manifestly, theconcentrator pan can be constructed in any desired width and length andthe agitators can be any desired width and contain any desired numbersof rows of teeth or nails. Angle bar joists 50 are fastened underneaththe pan. In each joist 50 there is a centrally disposed horizontal joistpin 52 and pan roller bearings 54 parallelly mounted to said joist pin.

Pan driving-rocking means 16 comprises gasoline or electric drive motor'74 mounted within the frame and housed underneath the pan. Reductiongearing 76 is connected to the drive motor 74 by means of belt and drivepuley 78. Drive shaft 84 drives eccentric drive wheel 82. Pivotallyattached to eccentric drive wheel 82 is vertically disposed drive arm 56having yoke 58 which engages a torque bar boss 62. Torque bar 68 isrotatably mounted beneath frame end angle bars 68, by means of torquebar bearings 66. At opposite ends of torque bar 60 are torque bar yokes64 which engage pan joist pins 52.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, each frame and angle bar 68 hasfastened to its top surface transverse pan track 70 which is engaged bythe respective pan rollers 54 which protrude exteriorly from each end ofconcentrator pan. During operation as illustrated in Fig. 2, drive arms56 through boss 62 rotates from side to side torque bar 60, which inturn rotates from side to side torque bar yoke 64. As torque bar yoke 64is driven from side to side its engagement with pan joist S2 rocks thepan from side to side, upon pan rollers 54, which travel transversely inpan track 70.

Material being concentrated and water are introduced at one end of theconcentrator pan. As illustrated in Fig. 3 water inlet means 20 mayconsist of perforated pipe 100 regulated by solenoid valve 98 which isoperatively connected with the starting means of the driver agitator 16.

Adjustment of the flow rate of water is accomplished without the use ofincreased quantities of water by adjusting the inclination of the frameand thus the pan. At one end of frame bracket 92 encases vertical crankshaft 90 which is mounted within wheeled carriage 86. The carriage 86 isslidable longitudinally upon tracks 88. By turning crank handle 110 theangle of incline of the frame may be adjusted as indicated by phantomlines in Fig. 1. For this purpose the opposite end of the frame ispivoted in brackets 96 by means of bolts 94.

During operation the minerals material is fed into the water inlet endof the pan by means of a chute, conveyor, or other device. Theseminerals in Water suspension are then agitated by means of thestationary agitators, as well as the lateral rocking of the pan at rightangles to the direction of flow of material. Thus, as the mineralsmaterial moves longitudinally through the hydrogravity concentrator, alateral gold panning or side to side movement of the pan is provided. Asthe pan rocks at right angles to the How of minerals material, thestationary agitators keep the metal bearing materials stirredconstantly. This stirring results in the vertical descension of theheavy metals and their separation from the lighter gang material. As aresult, the heavy metals are concentrated in front of the baffles 102 inpan 108, whence they flow laterally, as urged by the pan rocking fordischarge through ports 46. The waste material flows over the bafilesand out of the end of the pan to a waste pile.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A minerals concentrator comprising a frame pivoted at its base at oneend and being provided at its other end with slidable, incline adjustingmeans; a baffled concentrator pan roller-mounted within said frame, saidbaffies having adjustable side outlet ports; stationary, verticallyadjustable agitator means supported upon said frame and extending withinsaid pan between said baffies; pan rocking means mounted within saidframe including driving means having an eccentric drive wheel, a drivearm interconnecting said drive wheel and a rotatably mounted torque bar,yoke means attached to said torque bar and engaging said pan, said yokemeans upon operation of said drive means rocking said pan from side toside upon said pan rollers.

2. A minerals concentrator comprising a bafiied concentrator pan, havingside ports communicant with each baffie; an adjustably inclined framemovably supporting said pan, said frame being pivoted upon its base atone end and being supported at its other end upon slidable inclineadjusting means; stationary agitator means supported by said frame andsuspended within said pan; and pan lateral rocking means interconnectingsaid frame and said pan, said pan rocking means comprising a torque barrotatably mounted in said frame, driving means reciprocatingly rotatingsaid torque bar, and a pivoting yoke member interconnecting said torquebar and said pan, for rocking said pan from side to side within saidframe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS563,046 Mait June 30, 1896 716,205 Dodd Dec. 16, 1902 1,476,169 MorganDec. 4, 1923 1,848,151 Bennett et al. Mar. 8, 1932 2,082,504 MerrittJune 1, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,088 Great Britain 1902 OTHER REFERENCESTaggart, Handbook of Mineral Dressing, 1945, page 1156 and 19169.

